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1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to electrical communications and, more particularly, to electric field detectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
High-voltages may be lethal when contacted. Electrical transmission lines transmit high voltages. If a person contacts an electrical transmission line, the person could be subjected to a lethal voltage. Telecommunications technicians, cable technicians, construction crews, and other persons are frequently in the vicinity of high voltage power lines, regional power stations, and local substations. These people must take precautions to avoid lethal contact with high voltages.
These persons, then, often use a high-voltage detector. A voltage detector senses an electrical field in the vicinity of the person or in the vicinity of a work area. These voltage detectors warn the person of dangerous, high-voltages in the vicinity. These voltage detectors typically provide an audible and/or visual warning of the dangers voltage. These previous voltage detectors, however, have limited utility. The prior art voltage detectors only sense voltages. Technicians must often carry several pieces of equipment that perform several functions. While the voltage detector is important, life-saving equipment, sometimes a technician cannot carry all the necessary equipment. If the voltage detector could perform multiple functions, the utility of the voltage detector would be improved. There is, accordingly, a need for an improved voltage detector that performs multiple function.
These and other problems are reduced by an enhanced voltage detector. This voltage detector also utilizes a Global Positioning System (GPS) to provide added protection from high voltages. A user wears this voltage detector, and the voltage detector alerts the user when dangerous voltages are present. This voltage detector, however, also alerts the user when entering selected zones or regions that require precautionary measures. The voltage detector receives global positioning system information and determines the present location of the voltage detector. The present location of the voltage detector is then compared to selected global positioning system coordinates stored in memory. When the present location of the voltage detector is within a predefined range of one or more selected coordinates stored in memory, an alarm alerts a user. The user may then take appropriate measures required in the vicinity of the selected global positioning system coordinates.
This invention may alerts the user when safety precautions are required. The selected global positioning system coordinates, for example, may define locations requiring safety clothing, safety procedures, preventative measures, and other precautions. These selected global positioning system coordinates are stored in memory and compared to the user""s present location. When the user""s present location is within a defined range of the selected global positioning system coordinates, the invention alerts the user. The user may then don safety clothing, implement safety procedures, or implement prescribed measures.
The telecommunications industry provides an example. This invention may alert the user when measures or precautions are required in the vicinity of a telecommunications network. The selected global positioning system coordinates, for example, may define telecommunications network locations. These telecommunications network locations could include the location of a service address, a cross-connect box, a terminal, a hand hole, a pole, a wire center, a central office, or any other network location, network facility, or network component. These selected global positioning system coordinates are stored in memory and then compared to the user""s present location. When the user""s present location is within a defined range of the selected global positioning system coordinates, the invention alerts the user. When, for example, this invention determines that the user is in the vicinity of a telephone pole, or climbing a telephone pole, the invention alerts the user to don a hard hat. If the invention determines that the user is within a predefined range of a telephone terminal, the invention alerts the user to check for foreign voltages. Whenever the user""s present location is within range of a selected location, such as telecommunications network facilities, the voltage detector alerts the user to observe safety precautions.
This invention may also detect dangerous electrical voltages and/or currents. An electromagnetic field sensor may also be housed with the global positioning system. This electromagnetic field sensor is used to determine the presence of voltages and/or currents. When the electromagnetic field sensor detects the presence of harmful or dangerous voltages or currents, this invention also alerts the user. The user may then take appropriate safety precautions.
One aspect of this invention describes an apparatus for sensing electromagnetic fields. This apparatus comprises a Global Positioning System disposed in a housing. The Global Position System acquires global positioning system information describing a location of the apparatus. An electromagnetic sensor is also disposed in the housing, and the electromagnetic sensor senses an electromagnetic field in the vicinity of the apparatus. An alarm couples to the electromagnetic sensor, and the alarm produces an indication of the sensed electromagnetic field. The alarm may also couple to the Global Position System and produce a visual and/or audible indication of the global positioning system information.
Still another aspect of this invention describes a method for alerting a user of global positioning system information. Current global positioning system information is received, and the global positioning system information describes a current location. The current global positioning system information is compared to stored global positioning system information. An alarm is visually and/or audibly activated when the current global positioning system information is within a predefined range of the stored global positioning system information. The method may also sense an electromagnetic field in the vicinity of a location described by the current global positioning system information. The sensed electromagnetic field is compared to a threshold value, and the alarm is activated when the sensed electromagnetic field at least one of i) equals a threshold value or ii) exceeds the threshold value.